Kenyon Nicholson - Education

Education

Kenyon attended Crawfordsville High School from 1909–1910, where he was active in drama and was the assistant business manager of the yearbook, The Athenian. On September 1, 1911, Kenyon enrolled at DeWitt Clinton High School in New York City. He stayed there for a year, living with his aunt Bessie (Nicholson) Wheeler at 61 Hamilton Place. At DeWitt Clinton he studied English, Latin, German, physical training, history, and elocution, and belonged to the chorus in a school play. While in New York, Kenyon spent his free time at the Knickerbocker Theatre, Casino Theatre, and New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway. He returned to Crawfordsville for his senior year and graduated from Crawfordsville High School in 1913.

Kenyon then attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville. His first theatrical hit was at Wabash in 1913. The play was called “Let Him Up, Doc”; it was a one act “satirical, musical treatment” composed by Nicholson and N. E. Tannenbaum. As a member of the Dramatic Club, Kenyon wrote and produced plays throughout his college career.

In addition to theater, Kenyon was on the staff of the school newspaper, The Bachelor, as well as various committees, including the one in 1914 that decided on white v-neck jerseys with purple edging as the sophomore class insignia. In 1915 Kenyon won the Gene Stratton-Porter short story prize for his story, “Puppets.” He was awarded by Ms. Stratton-Porter $100. He was on the board of the school magazine, a member of Beta Theta Pi, and was appointed director of the glee club in 1917; he was a second tenor and was in the ukelele quintet.